Online part of new math curriculum

Board OKs spending $151,000 on new books, additional elements

By Jeanne Millsap — Herald Correspondent

Feb. 28, 2013

CHANNAHON — Printed material and online curriculum will be combined in math classes for Channahon grade school and junior high students, as the District 17 school board this week approved the purchase of a new five-year series of math curricula.

For $75,000, kindergarten through fifth-grade classes will get Origo Education/Stepping Stones, which includes the online curriculum, student journals, practice books, teacher resources, professional development, “Big Books,” and all consumable materials and e-updates for the next five years.

For another $76,000, sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade math students will use Carnegie Learning, which includes online curriculum, student textbooks, skills practice books, assignment books, and professional development.

The total for the new math curriculum is $151,000 for five years, or an average of $30,200 a year for all four schools.

The district currently spends $8,000 each year just for workbooks, math supplies and replacement textbooks.

The curriculum is a totally new program, N.B. Galloway Principal Angela Stallion told board members, that was “completely created and wrapped around the new Common Core standards.” As the materials are updated, the online program will be upgraded so that teachers and students can avail themselves of the latest modifications.

It has been six years since the district adopted new math books.

In other technological matters, the board approved replacing 170 older CRT computer monitors with LCD monitors throughout the district. The switch, according to Finance Manager Mike Schroeder, will result in an 85-percent reduction in energy consumption from the older monitors and better quality viewing for the students, providing higher resolution, less flicker and better clarity.

Most of the monitors being replaced are in the computer labs. The units will be purchased for $15,640. With the replacements, there will be no more CRT monitors in the district.

The school board also approved buying 54 iPads and some docking station carts for a total cost not to exceed $45,000. The devices will be used in the classrooms.

There are about 45 iPads in use now in the district — in junior high science and in kindergarten — for instruction, and Superintendent Dr. Karin Evans said the effects have been positive.

We are “convinced that this same instructional effect will happen across all other grade levels,” she told the board members. “We think it’s the absolute right thing to do.”

Teachers can sign out a cart of iPads to use when they see the need, Evans said.

The Channahon Dist. 17 school board also approved spending $11,539 for security upgrades to the front doors of all four schools. The low bidder, Commercial Electronic Systems, Inc., will install new, higher-resolution monitors and cameras, which will allow better clarity and audio of those who enter the buildings.

The board also recognized junior high boys’ basketball and cheerleading.

Basketball coach John Placher introduced each 8th grade boy from the team and said this particular team has excelled in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. In the last three years, he said, they won 70 games and only lost 2, and those two were in the state finals.

“This is the only Channahon 8th grade team ever to go undefeated,” Placher said. “They’ve been a great group of guys to coach. They were fantastic.”

Cheerleading coach Cindy Talbot introduced the team that finished in 5th place at state and said the cheerleaders did “a super job cheering.”

“This is a very, very talented group of girls,” she added. “In competition, in spirit, and with cheers, they all gave 100 percent.”

The school board this week also hired two new assistant track coaches. For a $2,555 stipend each, Jim Welsh and Tim Hanson will begin the positions this week.

Transferring positions within the district next school year will be teachers Ami King, who will go from EC special education to kindergarten; Saura Schaeflein, who will go from kindergarten to first grade; and Cathy Pettigrew, who will go from .4 FTE music teacher to .8 FTE music teacher.

The board also accepted the resignation of Three Rivers School social worker Kristi Bandy, effective at the end of this school year.

The board Monday also approved awarding a new one-year contract for copier service to McGrath Office Equipment for $14,760, with a rate of .0045 for copies over 3.6 M.